Chelsea vs Everton: Key Details You Need Before Kickoff
As Chelsea prepares to take on Everton, club historian Rick Glanvill and statistician Paul Dutton are looking ahead to what’s sure to be an exciting matchup, as it marks the first of two consecutive Premier League games against teams from Merseyside.
It’s not often that Chelsea has an early Saturday kickoff, thanks to their busy UEFA schedule, but they did manage to secure victories in their previous two 12:30 PM matches this season against West Ham United and Leicester City, scoring five goals and keeping a clean sheet.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, manager Enzo Maresca will be sidelined this weekend due to a suspension after he received a third yellow card for his exuberant celebration following Pedro Neto’s dramatic late goal, contributing to Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Fulham in the derby last week.
Everton, coming off a disappointing loss at home to Manchester City, currently sits in 13th place in the Premier League, just three spots higher than when David Moyes took over at Goodison Park in January.
In the battle for the Champions League spots, Chelsea finds itself alongside Nottingham Forest, Newcastle United, Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Arsenal, all vying for the last four positions below the likely champions Liverpool. Key matches for Chelsea include upcoming away games against Newcastle and Forest, as well as Arsenal’s clash with Newcastle on May 18.
Chelsea is on a mission to keep their remarkable home streak alive against Everton, hoping to secure their 30th straight league match at Stamford Bridge without a loss—an unbeaten run that dates back to 1994! A win would lift Chelsea back into the top four, with just four matches remaining in the season.
In terms of history, this will be David Moyes’ first trip to Stamford Bridge in his latest stint as Everton’s manager, coming shortly after Chelsea’s 2013 Europa League success. Chelsea won that match 2-1, thanks to an early goal from Juan Mata, despite a quick reply from Steven Naismith.
Chelsea is really focused on keeping up their remarkable home streak against Everton, and they’re aiming for an impressive 30th league match at Stamford Bridge without a defeat – a run that’s been going strong since 1994!
Last season was a memorable one, as Chelsea dominated Everton with a stunning 6-0 win at home. Cole Palmer stole the spotlight that day, scoring a fantastic hat-trick and even adding a penalty for good measure! Nicolas Jackson and Alfie Gilchrist also got in on the action, helping to create an unforgettable performance. Stamford Bridge has truly become a fortress for Chelsea!
A few interesting notes to consider: Chelsea boasts an unbeaten run of 29 top-flight home games against Everton—a club record that surpasses their best previous run against Tottenham. Overall, Chelsea has scored 302 goals against Everton in all competitions, which is notably more than they have against Tottenham (281).
David Moyes, interestingly, has never won a match at Stamford Bridge as a head coach. Across 24 visits with various teams since 2002, he has faced 17 defeats and drawn seven, including a heavy 5-0 loss last season with West Ham.
James Tarkowski has been an essential player for Everton, having started 111 consecutive Premier League matches. If he misses the upcoming game due to injury, he’ll just miss out on the impressive streaks set by Chelsea legends Frank Lampard and Wayne Bridge, who had 112 and 113 consecutive starts, respectively.
Lastly, Pedro Neto’s goal for Chelsea against Fulham was especially memorable, as it marked their latest winner in a Premier League derby since the 2006/07 season.
